This invention relates to an authoring tool for graphical presentation of stored information. More specifically, this invention relates to a software authoring tool for creating a programming object representing related data and the graphical representation of that information.
The advent of computers has allowed storage and recall of massive amounts of data. The volume of the data capable of being stored has necessitated the development of more efficient methods of organizing and presenting the data. Past methods of data storage on computer systems were in a flat record form. Flat records have a list of data records in a row with a number of different pieces of data associated with the record in a column. The flat records were organized but searches were difficult since a new table would have to be created to display the results of unrelated data contained in existing tables. Thus, database computer software was developed to relate data and provide efficient search capabilities. With the advent of databases, large amounts of data could be related to each other by common characteristics and specialized computer languages were developed to search the data in databases.
Database software typically involves a data schema which is a layout of fields to describe the data for each record in the database. A relational database is a collection of data items organized as a set of formally described tables. The data in the tables can be accessed or reassembled in many different ways without having to reorganize the database tables through the use of a query. A query is a request for information that a user sends to a database. Every database table is made up of columns and rows. Each row in the table represents an individual record. Each row has a number of columns with cells belonging to the record. A data field may be the data in a cell in the database table. In database parlance, a table""s column headings are called metadata. Relational databases have entity tables that store primary information and relation tables which link entity tables. Queries to a database may be made in well known languages such as Structured Query Language (SQL) which allows a user to recall responsive records from the database.
Up until the advent of graphically powerful computers the presentation of data output in response to a query remained in a textual form. While effective in searching, such recalled information was difficult to comprehend by the user due to the graphic simplicity and uniformity of the presentation. With the advent of graphical user interface (GUI) operating systems, information could be presented in a more visually attractive and dynamic fashion.
Recently, with the advent of the world wide web, information and data records from numerous, remote computers have begun to move to a presentation format which is accessible to many people. However, current presentation of data in a graphical format is suffering from information overload due to the large amounts of data available.
Thus, there exists a need for a system which allows the creation of a visual representation of linked information. There is also a further need for a program which visually represents different data and their relations. There is a further need for a program which allows representation of data from any type of data storage such as a database or other application data file.
The present invention is embodied in an authoring system for producing a computer programming object for the graphical representation of data items from a data source. The programming object has a collection of entities representing at least one data item. The authoring system includes a display manager editor routine that creates a display manager, which manages display entities for the formatting of graphics on a display screen representing the data items. These entities include a display entity having properties that define the appearance of a graphic representing the data item on the display screen. A position manager editor routine creates a position manager that manages position entities for location of the data items in a global space. These entities include a position entity having properties that define a location of the data item in the global space. A graph manager editor routine creates a graph manager that manages graph entities for selection of data items from the data source. These entities include a graph entity having properties that determine the selection of the data item. A source manager editor routine creates a source manager that manages source entities which have properties to represent the data items.
The invention is also embodied in a computer programming object for rendering a graphical representation of a data item from a data source on the screen of a client computer. The computer programming object has a display manager routine that creates a display entity for the display of graphics on the display screen that represent the data item. The display entity has at least one property that defines the appearance of the graphics on the display screen. A position manager routine creates a position entity for placement of the data item in a global space. The position entity has at least one property that defines the location of the data item in the global space. A graph manager routine creates a graph entity for selection of the data item from the data source. The graph entity has at least one property that determines the selection of data item. A source manager routine creates a source entity that has at least one property to determine the interface with the data item from the data source.
The present invention is also embodied in a system for the retrieval and graphical presentation of data items from a data source. The system includes a client computer having a display screen and an input device capable of requesting a data item from the data source. A data source is coupled to the application server. The application server produces a client computer readable object for producing a graphical representation of the data item from the data source on the screen of the client computer. The object has a display manager routine that creates display entities for the formatting of graphics on the display screen that represent the data items including a display entity having properties that define the appearance of a graphic representing the data item. The object also has a position manager routine that creates position entities for placement of the data items in a global space including a position entity having properties that define the location of the data item in the global space. The object also has a graph manager routine that creates graph entities for selection of data items from the data source including a graph entity having properties that determine the selection of the data item. The object also has a source manager routine that creates a source entity that has properties to represent the data item.
The present invention may also be embodied in a method for authoring a computer programming object for the graphical representation of data items from a data source on a client computer having a display screen. A display manager is created to manage display entities for the formatting of graphics on a display screen representing the data items. A display entity is created having properties that define the appearance of a graphic representing the data item on the display screen. A position manager is created to manage position entities for location of the data items in a global space. A position entity is created having properties that define a location of the data item in the global space. A graph manager is created to manage graph entities for selection of data items from the data source. A graph entity is created having properties that determine the selection of the data item. A source manager is created to manage source entities that have properties to represent the data items.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are not limiting but are intended to provide further explanation of the invention claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, are included to illustrate and provide a further understanding of the method and system of the invention. Together with the description, the drawings serve to explain the principles of the invention.